Bicycle choices - MTB or hybrid (1 Viewer)

[k9dr]

I am looking at purchasing a new bicycle and have been looking at bike shops and online. I wandered onto some bicycle forums to get some information but they are crazier than we are. I will mostly be riding on paved and groomed trails, maybe a little off road but nothing extreme. I have narrowed my choices to a hybrid bike or a mountain bike.

I know little or nothing about the various brands and components. The local bike shops have Giant, Trek, Specialized and many higher level bikes. Online I have been looking at Motobecane and some others from bikesdirect.com. Below are the two that I am deciding between:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/elite_adventure.htm#specs

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/mountain_bikes/529ht_29er_mountainbikes.htm

Can anyone offer some insight into the relative quality of the frame and components of these two bikes. Please feel free to suggest other bikes in this price range too.

In before someone says "get samples"

 

[detroitdad]

I can't really offer any insight. I'm not a big biker. I won a decent mountain bike (with MB tires). Its a bitch to ride on the streets. Unless your mostly off road and trails and shit then I would stay with a hybrid.

 

[manamongkids]

i owned a specialized rockhopper up until about 6 months ago when i had no time to ride it and no car to transport it, i am a MTB novice, cant offer any advice on that brand or quality but I know my specialized was a top notch bike from fellow friends who are MTB enthusiasts

 

[k9dr]

I am leaning towards the hybrid, but the components seem higher quality on the mountain bike. The only real difference I see between the two is the tires - knobby on the MTB and smoother on the hybrid.

 

[Trihonda]

Oddly enough, I'm an expert rider, and teach on and off road riding courses (see, the Fat Tire table isn't exclusively about the beer).

MTB's are meh for road riding, especially with ultra knobby tires, but vpcan be just fine for local tooling around and riding less than 10 miles in a trip. Due to the higher rolling resistance (fatter tires), you will work a tad harder. However, if you're going to go do some trail riding, a MTB is fun, and hard to beat.

Hybrids are great for tooling around, and light touring (longer-ish distances). They're more efficient with skinnier tires and often lighter weight. They're often more ergonomically as well (more upright seating angle), but they suck balls at anything remotely trail-ish... That is, unless the "trail" is a bike path, crushed gravel, etc.

There's a ton of other pro's and cons depending on your intended uses, but I hope this helps.

Number one piece of advice overall, is go by comfort and fit of bike, not the "brand" or cost. Buy from a shop,that'll allow you to take extended test rides (at least ten mins each bike). Select a few bikes that meet your criteria, cost, etc... Then take each one on a test ride for ten mins.,then try another bike, repeat. The trick is you will never ever figure out if a bike fits you or not, because people normally don't feel how bad/good a fit is until they've been on the bike for a while. Bike sales guys laugh at the people who come in, die a bike around the lot, and say "yup, that's a good bike". You have no clue. A sales person is likely a bike person, and if they think you're taking the purchase seriously, you'd be surprised show much attention you will get.

So, bring some comfy bike riding clothes, plan to ride a few bikes. The more you spend, the better features you get, but fit is number one. I'd rather have a $400 bike that fits me great, than a $4000 bike that fits me meh (I have both).

 

[k9dr]

Oddly enough, I'm an expert rider, and teach on and off road riding courses (see, the Fat Tire table isn't exclusively about the beer).

MTB's are meh for road riding, especially with ultra knobby tires, but vpcan be just fine for local tooling around and riding less than 10 miles in a trip. Due to the higher rolling resistance (fatter tires), you will work a tad harder. However, if you're going to go do some trail riding, a MTB is fun, and hard to beat.

Hybrids are great for tooling around, and light touring (longer-ish distances). They're more efficient with skinnier tires and often lighter weight. They're often more ergonomically as well (more upright seating angle), but they suck balls at anything remotely trail-ish... That is, unless the "trail" is a bike path, crushed gravel, etc.

There's a ton of other pro's and cons depending on your intended uses, but I hope this helps.

Number one piece of advice overall, is go by comfort and fit of bike, not the "brand" or cost. Buy from a shop,that'll allow you to take extended test rides (at least ten mins each bike). Select a few bikes that meet your criteria, cost, etc... Then take each one on a test ride for ten mins.,then try another bike, repeat. The trick is you will never ever figure out if a bike fits you or not, because people normally don't feel how bad/good a fit is until they've been on the bike for a while. Bike sales guys laugh at the people who come in, die a bike around the lot, and say "yup, that's a good bike". You have no clue. A sales person is likely a bike person, and if they think you're taking the purchase seriously, you'd be surprised show much attention you will get.

So, bring some comfy bike riding clothes, plan to ride a few bikes. The more you spend, the better features you get, but fit is number one. I'd rather have a $400 bike that fits me great, than a $4000 bike that fits me meh (I have both).

Thanks for the reply Eric. Still a lot of research to do.

 

[slisk250]

I'd only add a thing or two that Trihonda can comment on if he likes. It looks like both of those bikes are 29ers. Good choice. Unless you are hitting technical sections of trail, a 29er is faster in just about every way when compared to models with 26 inch wheels. I'm no pro but used to collect high end road bikes like i collect chips, however, I've been out of the component game for about 5 years. I think it is really worth the money to get Shimano components that are Deore or better. Most important is the rear derailleur. I have no experience with SRAM so do not know the product level where quality begins. With Shimano road components the low standard for components are 105 on better..money Bikes are like chips. You get what you pay for....dice, ceramic, china clay, Paulson. Is Bikes Direct even a brick and mortar shop? Don't buy online unless you have ridden the bike somewhere. Tri is absolutely correct. Fit is everything and I'd pay more for a bike from a good shop that will help you find the bike that fits you and your budget.

 

[pltrgyst]

.... A sales person is likely a bike person, and if they think you're taking the purchase seriously, you'd be surprised show much attention you will get.

So, bring some comfy bike riding clothes, plan to ride a few bikes. The more you spend, the better features you get, but fit is number one. I'd rather have a $400 bike that fits me great, than a $4000 bike that fits me meh (I have both).

Lots of good advice there. And the best bike fitters I've found in the area were at Ryder Bikes, up on Cortez Road in Bradenton. Those people know what they're doing. Since I bought a new bike last year, they've opened a new shop on University west of 75, but I don't know if any of their good staff moved down here. Even if they didn't, they're likely to be much, much better than Village Bikes in LWR.

IMO, the type of riding you're going to do most should dictate your choice. If you're going to be riding for fitness, on pavement, even a $1000 hybrid is going to be an albatross around your neck, compared to a road bike. We don't have much in the way of hills down here, but we do have substantial headwinds, if you're going to ride to and from the tennis club!

I went the hybrid route on the bike I bought last year, and it's still a dog on the road compared to my much older Trek road bike.

Personally, I'd stick to Cannondale, Trek, or Specialized, either an inexpensive, relaxed geometry road bike, or a hybrid with the thinnest tires I could get (on the probably 1.25 or 1.125 inch rims). And Bike Nashbar sometimes has a sale on their own frames with brand-name components.

My experience has been that there's nothing worth buying under $500, unless you happen to find something like a leftover that's being heavily discounted. More like $700, in reality. Under $500, you might as well buy a disposable from Sports Authority or a department store.

You've also got some good riding groups around here that would also be willing to provide advice -- the Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club, and the Village Idiots (more road racing oriented).

-- Larry (never a pro or anything even close, but a charter and life member of the Princeton (NJ) Free Wheelers)

 

[brianb10]

I'm an avid road biker who will commute to work in the summer 3-4 times a week (20 miles each way) and race the occasional triathlon or time trial along with at least one charity century ride a year. I wouldn't dream of doing any of that on anything other than a road bike. The following of course will just be my opinions.

Trying to buy a bike for both pavement and trails is tough. It's two separate types of riding and in a perfect world you'd have a bike for each type. Buying one bike to do two completely different things is going to result in you have a bike that does neither one very well.

Honestly you sound just like me when I bought my first bike. What I found was that I never went off of the paved trails so I was pretty unhappy with the hybrid. I ended up trading it for a entry level road bike and it was like going from a pickup to a Ferrari. Also, most entry level road bikes would do fine on the occasional packed gravel. I wouldn't ride mine on it but that's because my wheels cost more than my first car and I don't want to damage them from flying debris. However if you just need to cross a section of unpaved road for whatever reason you'll be fine on a road bike.

As others have said you should consider the type of riding you will do and your comfort level on the bike. Choosing a bike based on components will likely leave you disappointed. At your price range all components are going to be comparable anyways. I always tell people that components can be changed but the geometry on the bike can't. Get a bike that you feel good riding and upgrade the components down the road if you need to. All that said, Shimano 105 is one of the best "bang for the buck" when it comes to components. Shimano uses the same technology in the 105's as they do in the Ultegra and Dura Ace lines. The only difference is weight and cost.

I can't stress enough about having a fit done prior to buying a bike. Doing so will narrow down your choices. While bike brands are often just a matter of preference, different brands and models do have different fit characteristics as well. I often have issues with my fit because I have long legs and a short torso. This puts me right in the middle of two pretty common frame sizes. My fitter determined that the best choices for me were bike with taller head tubes. Between, for example, Trek and Specialized, Specialized bikes are way more comfortable for me because they have much taller head tubes. On a Trek I experienced a lot of wrist pain since the shorter head tube (combined with having the seat post raised high due to long legs) put me in a more aggressive position. Thats way more info than you wanted I know but hopefully it illustrates the value of a professional fit. It may seem like a pricey luxury but trust me it's worth it. Some shops will often credit the price of the fit if you end up buying a bike from them.

I'll second Tri when he said a $400 bike that fits is better than a $4K bike that does not. I'll also add that your intended use also weighs heavily. My 10K Venge is fast as hell and is great when I race but someone getting on it just to ride around the neighborhood with their kid would say its the most uncomfortable and stiff riding bike they've ever been on. To the average Joe, spending 10K should feel like riding on air but in the bike world money buys speed not comfort

 

[k9dr]

I probably need a road bike because I will primarily be riding on roadways and paved paths. I would prefer one with a more relaxed geometry and a more upright riding position. I prefer a flat handle bar instead of the drop bar design. The major concern I have with the road bikes are the skinny tires. I frequently ride at the beach and encounter a lot of sand on the pathways. I wanted the somewhat wider tires for safety and stability.

 

[slisk250]

You can get wider tires on the bike as long as they clear the brakes. Many racers put them on for tough cobblestone stages in the Classics and/or for cyclocross. If the sand never gets deeper than a few centimeters, you are fine. Is it just blowing sand from beaches on cycling paths?

 

[k9dr]

You can get wider tires on the bike as long as they clear the brakes. Many racers put them on for tough cobblestone stages in the Classics and/or for cyclocross. If the sand never gets deeper than a few centimeters, you are fine. Is it just blowing sand from beaches on cycling paths?

Probably a mix of wind blown and rain driven sand. I have fallen before on sandy areas with skinny tires.

 

[Trihonda]

I probably need a road bike because I will primarily be riding on roadways and paved paths. I would prefer one with a more relaxed geometry and a more upright riding position. I prefer a flat handle bar instead of the drop bar design. The major concern I have with the road bikes are the skinny tires. I frequently ride at the beach and encounter a lot of sand on the pathways. I wanted the somewhat wider tires for safety and stability.

What you are describing is essentially a hybrid. There's two schools of thoughts on Hybrids..
1- They're mountain bikes, with skinny tires....
2- or they're road bikes with slightly beefier frames, flat handlebars, more upright geometry, and slightly wider tires.

Really depends on model, brand, features. However, I think a hybrid is for you. If you don't mind drop bars and more aggressive geometry, then a road bike is it FTW. However, from your OP, it sounds like speed and (well, speed) are the THE most important features in a bike.

I used to commute to work (for a couple of years), and I used a hybrid in the winter (yes through snow, sleet, ech), and alternated between a road bike or hybrid depending in the summer, depending if I wanted comfort or if I was running late for work...

Just visit your shop, let them know what you're looking for, and budget. Tell them upfront, that you are a serious buyer, looking for a solid bike you can ride for many years, and let them know you'll want to take each possible candidate for an extended test ride. If they think you're serious about the purchase, and the bike won't just become a fancy garage artpiece (sitting untouched), then they'll be more likely to spend more time on you... and ultimately, you'll get a better ride!

 

[brianb10]

I probably need a road bike because I will primarily be riding on roadways and paved paths. I would prefer one with a more relaxed geometry and a more upright riding position. I prefer a flat handle bar instead of the drop bar design. The major concern I have with the road bikes are the skinny tires. I frequently ride at the beach and encounter a lot of sand on the pathways. I wanted the somewhat wider tires for safety and stability.

All road bikes will take 25mm or 28mm tires (standard that the bike will probably come with is 23mm) and most can go even wider although I don't recommend much past 28 on a road bike. I ride 25mm and love them. I even race them as they are in fact faster than 23mm on my particular wheel set. You can get away with not inflating a wider tire 25mm as much which is why you see a tremendously increased ride quality.

They make flat bar road bikes which is probably right up your alley. It's just one brand but look at a Specialized Sirrus for an example. Might be more than your original budget but I think you'll need to increase that anyways. They have an aluminum model around $600. Again it's just one example.

 

[brianb10]

What you are describing is essentially a hybrid. There's two schools of thoughts on Hybrids..
1- They're mountain bikes, with skinny tires....
2- or they're road bikes with slightly beefier frames, flat handlebars, more upright geometry, and slightly wider tires.

Really depends on model, brand, features. However, I think a hybrid is for you. If you don't mind drop bars and more aggressive geometry, then a road bike is it FTW. However, from your OP, it sounds like speed and (well, speed) are the THE most important features in a bike.

I used to commute to work (for a couple of years), and I used a hybrid in the winter (yes through snow, sleet, ech), and alternated between a road bike or hybrid depending in the summer, depending if I wanted comfort or if I was running late for work...

Just visit your shop, let them know what you're looking for, and budget. Tell them upfront, that you are a serious buyer, looking for a solid bike you can ride for many years, and let them know you'll want to take each possible candidate for an extended test ride. If they think you're serious about the purchase, and the bike won't just become a fancy garage artpiece (sitting untouched), then they'll be more likely to spend more time on you... and ultimately, you'll get a better ride!

I subscribe to the idea that a hybrid has more in common with a mountain bike than a road bike where as a flat bar is truly a road bike with flat bars. I think the gearing and geometry is going to more akin to a mountain bike than a FB road. If I was looking for an all around fitness/commuter bike, that I could ride all day if I wanted, I'd look for a flat bar road bike over a true hybrid which, IMO, will not be as comfortable on an extended ride.

 

[k9dr]

I think I found it